5 Best Adventure Motorcycles

It is hard to compile a list of the 5 best adventure motorcycles as today's motorcycles are mostly very specialized. But adventure motorcycles are bikes that are built to be more than just an average method of transportation. These bikes are built for taking trips, touring, and traveling to unusual places. People can even choose to tour the world on these bikes so it is important that these motorcycles are built to the highest quality specs and with adventure driving in mind.

BMW R1200 GS. BMW has always had the idea of quality and luxury associated with its name, but you might not think about taking your BMW on a safari, so why is it on the list of five best adventure motorcycles? Well, the R1200 GS is built specifically by BMW as an adventure bike. BMW has emphasized easy handling and off-road potential and coupled these features with comfort for the main driver and the pillion passenger. What puts this bike above its competitors though is its unsurpassed 2-cylinder power level available from the DOHC engine. All this coupled with the variety of accessories, finishes and fittings makes the 1200 GS an ideal choice for any adventure biking.

KTM 950 Adventure. There are two models available in this line, the orange ‘S’ model and the standard silver model. The S model offers 361mm of ground clearance, whereas the standard has a 281mm allowance, still generous for a ‘low-seat’. Actually, the seat is relatively high at 880mm on the tall version. Suspension is always important when it comes to adventure bikes and the white suspension on the KTM 950 is top of the range. KTM are known for their speed in rally bikes and there is no doubt that serious speed can be achieved on the KTM 950.

Ducati Multistrada. Ducati has a prestigious race bike history, but might not be the first name to come to mind when looking for a durable adventure bike. This should not be the case as the Multistrada is designed specifically for adventure biking. This allows for a bike, which is hardy and offers the speed Ducati is famous for. The bike is typically priced at $14,995.00 and for this investment you’ll get a bike that has been tweaked to perform to the max. This includes a 1198 super-bike V-Twin revision for the bike’s power system which blows the air-cooled MTS out of the water. The bike also offers a Ducati Traction Control system that can be set to the driver's individual preferences.

Aprilia EVT1000 Caponord. The Aprilia Caponord offers similar features to the Ducati (being that they are both Italian brands) but with a bigger emphasis on style and smoothness. Designed to easily manage difficult off-road trails and zip through the craziness of Italian inner-city traffic, the Ducati is nothing if not versatile. The company has built a reprogrammable Sagem ECU system, which allows for a smoother performance.

Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom. This bike makes use of a TL1000S engine, which is a 996cc motor that is able to send maximum power to the rear wheel of this bike. This is where the bike links in to Suzuki’s sports image. It also boasts a twin-spar aluminum body frame, which slims the bikes weight to 455 pounds. The word "Strom" in the bike's title comes from the German word meaning ‘wind stream’ and this is an appropriate description for the way that this bike handles.